Best camera for indoor ice hockey photos?

[kevin_fox3]

I currently use a Pansonic DMC-FZ5 12Xzoon camera but my hockey photos either

turn out too dark (when I set a shutter speed of 1/80 or greater) or the action

is too blurred (when I set a lower shutter speed to brighten the photo).

 

It's a fine line setting a high enough speed to cut down on blur and a slow

enough speed to allow enough light.

 

I always have to lighten and add contrast to my photos in photoshop...and they

still don't turn out as good as I would like.

 

Just wondering if anyone can reccommend an SLR camera (no more than $1200 or so)

that would take great photos at hockey games? (OHL level).

 

Thanks for any help,

 

Kevin Fox

Ontario,Canada

[simus]

Hi, any recent entry level Digital SLR can give you better photos.

 

- DSLR usually can go till 1600 asa sensibility, while your camera can only reach 400.

 

- at 400 asa a slr has better performance and much less noise.

 

- dslr allows you to shoot in Raw files that give you more possibilities in modifying photos whithout obtaining bad images

 

- it allows you to choose faster and better lens but also more exprensive. (ie. constant f/2.8 aperture)

 

 

So you might go for an entry level with a good lens. anyway consider also that entry level cameras are not very fast in shooting. They can, generally, shoot 2/3 per second for a maximum of few shots.

 

 

So you need to know what are your prioriry or if you can permit to loose some shot atc. etc.

 

Hope this helps,

Antonio

[todd peach seattle, washi]

Antonio's advice is right on.

 

For $1,200, here's how I'd approach it:

A used Nikon D70 from B&H - Nikon D70, 6.1 Megapixel, SLR, Digital Camera (Camera Body)

Mfr# 25212 ﾕ Used Cat.# 486097 Used Dept.

Our Price: $ 499.00

Shipping Cost:

 

Availability:

 

In Stock

Item Condition:

9

Shows signs of use, but very clean

 

And this Nikon 80-200 f/2.8 AFD w/ tripod collar from www.keh.com:

Nikon Auto Focus

80-200 F2.8 D MACRO ED WITH TRIPOD MOUNT (77) 35MM SLR AUTO FOCUS ZOOM TELEPHOTO LENS

 

NA079990291830

 

Grade Now Was

BGN $599.00

 

 

That would get you there. You'll probably want to add a shorter lens for general purpose use, but that 80-200/2.8 is 'where the fun starts' for most indoor sports.

 

I'd prefer a Nikon D2H for the body, but that's out of your price range. I have used a D70 for indoor sports, and it does fine if you stick to the central AF point.

[ron_laxton]

I've been shooting hockey action for years. I just got a Nikon D70S and tried it for my sons' summer high school league. I used a Tamron 28-200 zoom, and got decent, not great, results. These were all done with no flash. I expect to use a metz CT-60 in each corner of the rink this winter, and fired by remote trigger and slaves. I have shot dozens of tournaments, including five state championships. I usually used 1600 film with a flash. Not an easy sport to shoot, especially with very basic equipment. I would definately recommend a camera with a 1600 ISO. Good luck.

[david_najewicz]

While I don't have a hockey player in the family....I do have a figure skater.... even more expensive than hockey! Anyway I bought a D-70 about two years ago .... by taking the ASA to 1600 I am able to take some pretty good "action" photo's indoors at various rinks. However I have found that the lighting in ice rinks is variable and never really good. I started with a Nikon 70-210mm F 4 -5.6 , while it was long enough it was too slow and I had to shoot at ~1/150 1/200 (ASA1600)... lots of blurry pictures. I bit the bullet and bought a Nikon 80-200 F2.8 - used for about $600 - well worth it. I can now shoot at about 1/400, of course no flash is allowed at figure skating events so that's as good as it gets. While I have gotten great pictures with my D-70,I think a D-50 with the same lens would had done just as well - in fact the D-50 is supposed to have lower noise at ASA 1600. However a fast tlelephoto lens is essential ( I hear the sigma 80-200 F2.8 is nearly as sharp as the Nikon) Here is a link to my site which has a LOT of figure skating photo's - including some of the US figure skating championships at St Louis earlier this year (the winners of this competiton went on to the winter Olympics). I also think the Cannon SLR's are great - they line up cost and feature wise pretty close to the nikons - people spend a lot of time flaming each other about which is better...but at the end of the day they are both excellent. The real issue is the lenses - once you start investing in the lenses you get "wedded" to one brand. I now have a lot of Nikon lenses - and I will probably buy another nikon digital SLR body in a few years because I have such an investment in lenses.

 

Here is a link to my site:

 

http://ky-sailor.smugmug.com/

 

Hope this helps

 

 

Dave

[andyjonesphotography]

Kevin

 

I use Nikon D70S with 80-200 F/2.8 1/250 ISO 800 works great for young figure skaters and hockey players. You need higher ISO for adults, especially figure skaters, really fast spins. Get a sturdy monopod, I got a cheap one and it flexed, not good.

 

Just waiting for Nikon to come out with a 80-400 f/1.4 That would make life a lot easier :-)

 

Andy